8 amazing micro-apartments This is a very wide sales promotion by the real estate lobby and industry to alter the minimum legal apartment size in New York City and elsewhere. They have the billionaire Mayor, who has several whole houses for himself, behind them and even set up a pr exhibit at The Museum of the City of New York to promote all the joys of cramming into smaller space! If they can only make them smaller, they say, the apartments will be cheaper and more plentiful! In fact if they could only set tenants up in refrigerators or coffins and make it sound cool, exciting and profitable, they would!
Guy Turns 700 Year Old Abandoned Cave Dwelling Into Vacation Home The Rockhouse is a unique luxury cave retreat, hand sculpted from a Triassic sandstone escarpment near the Wyre Forest in rural Worcestershire. Set in 3 acres of woodland on the banks of Honey Brook, The Rockhouse has been occupied for over 700 years. When the site was deserted in 1962 it reverted back to its ‘natural state’ – until it was painstakingly and sympathetically refurbished in 2015 ‘almost single handedly’ by enthusiast and owner Angelo Mastropietro. Check out the Rockhouse below along with an interview with Angelo in a video segment by Barcroft TV. As much a sculpture as it is a dwelling, The Rockhouse has been carefully planned out and features stylish creature comforts such as under floor heating, rainforest shower and clever ambient lighting for a nurturing and natural ambience. According to the BBC, Angelo Mastropietro came across the site near Kidderminster when he sheltered there during a rain storm in 1999.
A 3-D Printed House? Well, this may well be the coolest video you see today. It’s a TEDx talk from a fellow named Behrokh Khoshnevis, who is a professor of engineering at USC, where he directs something called the Center for Rapid Automated Fabrication Technologies. CRAFT has stated as its grand challenge “building a custom-designed house in a day while drastically reducing the costs, injuries, waste and environmental impact associated with traditional construction techniques.” The applications of such rapid-fire housing are endless: affordable housing for the poor; “extraterrestrial buildings constructed from in situ materials”; emergency FEMA-style housing, and the like. But don’t listen to me–listen to the guy who’s trying to make it a reality. And if you’re really pressed for time, let me call out some of the most exciting things the professor says here, with a few little glosses of my own. “In the end the whole building can be ready in an unprecedented time. Bur wait? What do you think?
Build This Cozy Cabin Rays of early-morning sunlight gently peek through the windows, easing you awake. Looking down from the sleeping loft, you see everything you need: a pine table; a box piled with hardwood, split and ready for the woodstove; and a compact kitchen in the corner. This is the cabin dream. In this article, I’ll show you how to build a 14-by-20-foot cozy cabin featuring a sleeping loft over the porch for about $4,000. My own cabin adventure began in 1986, when I built one as an inexpensive place to stay while constructing my house — that’s when I began learning what makes cabin design and construction successful. What follows is a cabin plan (I've included a full Cabin Assembly Diagram) with the hands-on know-how I wish I had 20 years ago. I believe in building for the long haul. A Firm Foundation Every well-built structure begins with the foundation. Cold climates are a different matter, and one of the best cabin foundations you can choose is established easily with minimal tools and time.
tree tents by luminair nov 26, 2012 tree tents by luminair ‘tree tents’ by luminairall images courtesy of luminair the culmination of three years worth of research, these ‘tree tents’ by luminair are coming to forests near you. bringing awareness to the timber harvest and lifecycle, these suspended capsules bring comfortable and low impact retreats up in the canopies. the living spaces are contained by a sustainable structural frame enclosed with high density cotton canvas fabric. a combination of green ash wood and strong, lightweight hybrid aluminum sub-frame components are easily transported and assembled. steam-bent into a spherical shape, the form spreads loads across the structure to absorb movements of inhabitants. its 100% waterproof exterior is insulated with sheep wool, making the shelters perfect for year-round use and semi-permanent camps. it comes in olive green, red and natural. spherical tent suspended amidst tree trunks ladder leads into front door side window door entry fabric door rolled up bedroom
"Earthship Biotecture": Renegade New Mexico Architect’s Radical Approach to Sustainable Living Guests Michael Reynolds creator of radically sustainable living options through a process called "Earthship Biotecture." This is viewer supported news Donate New Mexico residents are trying to a break free from Los Alamos’ nuclear legacy by creating more environmentally sound ways of living. This is a rush transcript. AMY GOODMAN: We’re broadcasting from Los Alamos, New Mexico, the birthplace of the Nuclear Age. We turn right now to Mike Reynolds. We were driving along—from Durango, Colorado, to Taos, New Mexico, when we saw this remarkable collection, a fascinating collection, of structures scattered through the sage brush along the road. MICHAEL REYNOLDS: Greenhouse, which is a buffer zone for the house, to make the house stay warmer, hold its heat longer. AMY GOODMAN: So the house is a jungle? MICHAEL REYNOLDS: Yeah, it’s pretty much, mostly, 50 percent, a jungle. AMY GOODMAN: And what is in—what is in these pillars of the house? AMY GOODMAN: And what are these materials, though?
Green Egg House Images credit Zhao Kang Rents in Beijing are high, so designer Daihai Fei built himself a wonderful little green home that may well become a new icon for the Tiny House Movement.Tipster Spooky writes: Daihai Fei built his amazing egg-house on a bamboo frame, covered with various insulating materials, and topped with a layer of stitched bag. The bags themselves are filled with sawdust and grass seeds, which he sprays with water regularly, to help the grass grow faster. Inspired by the grass-covered roofs of Norway, he knows the grass will over greater protection for his home. On the inside, he has all the necessary facilities, including a bed, a small sink, a lamp powered by a small solar panel and even a tiny bookshelf. It looks quite comfy, and it is parked right across the street from where he works so that he saves on time and transit. I am not certain what keeps the water out; burlap bags do not exactly work like shingles. The solar panel is nicely integrated into the roof.
13 More Modern, Mobile & Modular Tiny House Designs Could you live in 200 square feet or less? For most people, the answer to that question is an emphatic no – but perhaps that’s because you’ve never seen some of the amazingly imaginative, well-designed tiny houses that are popping up around the world. Tiny houses can be mobile (including awesome converted house trucks) or stationary, plugged in or off-grid, pre-fabricated or built on-site. Some are ultramodern while others are decidedly rustic, and though a few are just part-time retreats, many shelter occupants year-round. These 14 tiny house designs show just how diverse compact dwellings can be, from three-story apartments in urban Tokyo to whimsical cottages in the American countryside. Fab Lab House: Small and Modern (images via: fablabhouse.com) Far from a shed-like tiny house, this imaginative home that was designed to ‘act like a tree’ won the Solar Decathlon Europe people’s choice award for both looks and sustainability. Tiny Green-Roofed Egg House in China Wacky ‘Dome Lady’ House
Affordable and Versatile Sommerhaus Piu Prefab Vacation Home The collaboration between German industrial designers Patrick Frey and Björn Götte led to the construction of this small but comfortable vacation house named Sommerhaus Piu Prefab Vacation Home. The affordable house can act as a vacation home, a weekend retreat or even a year-round home for those with a small budget. The cabin home displays a modern design that stands out in the middle of nature with its slightly pitched roof and colour duality. Covered in horizontal wood planks, the prefabricated house was designed to offer its inhabitants both comfortable interior spaces and outdoor relaxation facilities. A porch painted in a darker colour defines the edges of the house – this darker accent spreads to the roof and margins of the cabin, creating a contemporary visual appeal.
Dilapidated 1860s Barn Gets Revived Into Amazing Entertainment Space When their clients told him they wanted a barn on their property to compliment their 19th-century farmhouse and serve as their guesthouse and entertainment space, architect Douglas VanderHorn started the search process immediately. VanderHorn found this barn outside Albany, New York, via Heritage Restorations, a firm that scouts barns in disrepair for rehabilitation and reuse. According to Houzz, the timbers were already numbered and coded, as that was part of the original construction in the 1860s, when the barn was built. This made it easy to keep things organized during dismantling and rebuilding. As part of the renovations, they replaced the barn’s original siding with fir reclaimed from another barn that was in better shape, and repurposed it elsewhere in the project. Below you can see some interior shots of the incredible transformation. Inside, VanderHorn used all the siding, timbers and floors original to the barn. Related Articles on Houzz You May Be Interested In
Electric Camper: Tiny Geometric House on Wheels Not only is this highly unusual-looking vehicle a hand-made camper – it runs on electricity. Built from plywood, fiberglass, epoxy resin, bicycle parts and an electric motor, ‘Golden Gate’ by San Francisco artist Jay Nelson is reminiscent of all of those amazing hand-crafted house trucks from the 1970s, but with a very modern power source. The tiny camper measures just 96″x54″x64″, making it just large enough inside to lay down on the bed platform. The Golden Gate is better equipped than you might expect, with a sink, stove, cooler, storage compartments and even a toilet. While its top speed of 20mph and lack of headlights doesn’t exactly make it ideal for traveling long distances, it’s easy to envision owning a tiny house like this for use as a swanky home base for camping.
Inspiring Tree House by KAA Design Group The Los Angeles chapter of the American Institute of Architects is actually developing into the one-stop destination for amazing architecture. This time around, the KAA Design Group introduces this Tree House in Manhattan Beach. With lofty Southern Californian coasts to the fore, the unitary house (which obviously is not a tree house) combines aesthetic exteriors with stunning interiors studded with wood, concrete and glass. Appealing to the green-minded, the houses’ eco-friendly aspects are all taken care for with heating and cooling solutions, natural ventilation and exposure. Take a look at these wonderful images that depict some real spacey rooms with fireplaces, living rooms, bedrooms, spas or study rooms. We wouldn’t mind a week there …
US Government Declaring All Out War on Tiny House Living Isaac Davis, StaffWaking Times Freedom in the United States today is a moving target, and when the government catches wind of an innovation that makes life easier and more affordable for ordinary people, it always steps in to take control. Take, for example, the growing effort to outlaw offgrid living in the U.S., as well as moves by local governments around the country to criminalize private rainwater collection. Now, the federal government is making a major move against the tiny house movement, seeking to give the U.S. The tiny house movement is one of the latest innovations in personal freedom from an overly consumeristic and a debt-driven society. Tiny houses offer shelter from the elements, and shelter from the economic matrix, which is why they are now under attack. This proposed rule would modify the current exemption for recreational vehicles in the Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations. READ: Tiny Houses – Taking On the Matrix of Consumerism About the Author
We The Tiny House People This is journey into the tiny homes of people searching for simplicity, self-sufficiency, minimalism and happiness by creating shelter in caves, converted garages, trailers, tool sheds, river boats and former pigeon coops. Basically, Dirksen made a documentary on people living in tiny houses. For around five years she was traveling the world and filming these segments. Kirsten Dirksen is co-founder of faircompanies.com and a Huffington Post blogger. From the author: I still live in a relatively spacious 1000 square foot apartment with my family of 4 (soon-to-be 5) and I’m not looking to downsize, but I can’t get enough of these tiny homes. I continue to be impressed by how so many Tiny House People have been able to let go of their stuff and not despite, but because of this, find a certain calm. Over 2 millennia ago Socrates counseled, "The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." Watch the full documentary now